Radiator water level indicator



Sept. 20, 1932.

J. c. LEUKHARDT', JR

RADIATOR WATER LIEVEL INDICATOR Filed Dec. 21,

I I I Patented Sept. 20, 1932 4 L736? PATENT .Fif'

JOHN o. LEUKHARDT; .13., or WASHINGTON, nrsrnro'r or comnvnarnv RADIATORWATER LEVEL INDICATOR 1 Application filed bec einber 21,1931. Serial No.582,324.

This invention relates to improvements in termediate the ends of therod. These stops liquid level indicators and particularly to may beeither flat discs secured to the rod, low water level indicatorsforradiators as or pins extending transversely through the used in thecooling system of internal com rod. A float 8 is slidably disposed onthe 5 bustion engines. 7 rod 5 between the stops 6 and 7 and serves 755The main objects of this invention are to the purpose of actuating therod in its verprovide an improved device'to indicate a low tio'almovement. r or danger level-of a liquid ina radiator; to A light coiledspring 9 is positioned on provide a float type of indicator that will betherod 5 between the fioat 8 and the inter- 10 to a considerable extentnotafi'ected by turmediate stop 7, and is arranged to normally bulenceof the liquid; to provide an improved urge the float 8 downwardly towardthe stop structure wherein the movement of the in- 6, the spring 9reacting against the stop 7. dicator is considerably less than the move-The shell 4 extending. through the cap is ment of the actuatingfioat;.to provide such provided with a portion of the enlarged secadevice wherein movement is im arted to tion which extends below the capand into ice the indicator only when the liquid .level apthe liquidcontainedin the radiator, in order proaches the danger point; and toprovide to accommodate a float'of sufficient size to a device forautomobile radiators that will actuate the od or p u g a the s visuallyindicate to a remotely positioned ole! 10, formed at the lower sideofthe cap,

operator or attendant the necessity for reserves as a limit stopagainstwhich the fixed 17o newing the liquid supply, thereby obviatingstop 7 can act to limit the upward movement the necessity of removingthe radiator cap of the rod 5. At the bottom end of the shell unlessafurther supply of liquid is necessary. 4 is a closure 11 which servesas an abutment A specific embodiment of this invention against which thestop 6 can act to limit is shown in the accompanying drawing thedownward movement of the plunger wherein: rod 5.

-Figure 1 is a front elevation of the indi- The closure 11 is providedwith an apercator as assembled on a radiator cap. ture 12 to admit theliquidintothe shell 4 Fig. 2 is a sectional front elevation of toactuate the float8and the rod 5. An aperthe same as disposed on aradiator. ture 13 is provided in the wall of the shell "'30 Fig. 3 is asectionalplan view of the same 4 adjacent the lower side of the cap toprotaken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Y vide a vent above the-float. V Fig. 4is a sectional view taken on line Within the portion of the shell 4 thatex- 44 of Fig. 2. tends above the'cap there is an indicator 14 5 In theform shown in the drawing, the which is secured to the upper end of therod low level indicator is mounted on a' radiator 5 and shows, throughthe side apertures 15 cap having a top portion land an externally of theupper portionofthe shell 4, the rela threaded lower portion 2 adapted tobe tive vertical positionof the r0d5. The upthreaded into the nipple 3of a radiator tank. per portion '16 of the indicator 14 is prefer- 40The cap is provided with a-central aperture ably colored red to indicatedanger, and the so through which is inserted a tubular'shell or lowerportion is preferably colored green to casing 4 of the indicator whichextends above indicate 'a satisfactory condition. and below the cap, theportion extending be- The portion of the shell 4 extending above low thecap being of suflicient length to pr0- the cap may be housed in anysuitable manject well into the liquid contained in the nor, and, asshown in the drawing, the-housradiator tank. ing comprisesa'cifcularcasing 17 of sulfi- Within the shell 4 an indicator plunger'oient width to accommodate the upper poror rod 5 is disposed so as tobe vertically tion of the tube 4 and having glass faces 18 movable. Therod 5 is provided with a fixed on each side to prevent weather frominjureo stop 6 at its lower end and a fixed stop 7 ining the indicator14.

can

In operation the liquid contained in the I radiator, when at itsnormalfull level, will urge the float 8 upwardly toward the radiator capand against the action of the spring 9, thus holding the plunger rod 5and the .indicator 14 in a position to indicate a green signal throughthe side openings 15 of the upper portion of the shell 4. As the levelof the liquid gradually recedes, the float wlll follow downwardly.However, the rod 5 and the indicator 14 will stillbe held in its upwardposition indicatinga green signal because of the action of the spring'9between the float and the intermediate fixed stop 7'. WVhenthe liquidlevel has receded to a point where the float 8 rests against the.stopxfi, the spring will no longer keep the rod in'its upperposition,and the rod and indicator will follow the liquid level downwarduntil a point is reached where the red or danger signal will beindicated through the opening'15. The length of the lower portion of theshell 4 which extends into the liquid-of the radiator, and the length ofthe rod 5 below the stop 7, are so; proportioned that when the stop 6 onthe plunger5 rests against the closure cap 11, the red signal 16 will bepo- 'sitioned oppositethe window 15.

Inorder to prevent fluctuation or bobbing of the indicator 14 due toturbulence of the liquid within the radiator, the aperture 12 is maderelatively smallso that the flow of liquid into and out of the shell 4will be considerably retarded. Thus, when the liquid within the radiatoris turbulent, such turbulence will not be imparted with its full effectto the surface of the liquid within the shell '4. The light spring 9acting between the float 8 andthe intermediate stop 7 further serves :tocompensate for movements of the float due to turbulence orvibration,-and the indicator 14 will consequentlyprovide a reliableindication of satisfactoryv or dangerous liquid level. 1

A further purpose for the slidable float 8 and the spring 9 lies in' thefact 'thatxwit-h such construction theivertical movement of the plungerrod 5 need be only a small portion of the total vertical movement of thefloat 8 and thus the portion of the shell 4 extending above the cap, andthe housing 17 may be of practical and decorative proportions regardlessof whether the upper water tank of the radiator be deep or shallow,since the only changes necessaryto suit the indi cator to liquid tanksof various depthsisthe change of the length of the rod 5 and the lengthof that portion of the shell 4 that extends 'below the cap The totalvertical movement of the rod 5 is determined-by'the relative distancebetweenithe stops 6*and 7 or-thedistance between stop 6 and theclosure11 when the indicator is in its uppermost position. i

. I have shown and described-a typeof liq- The principal advantages ofmy invention 11am the fact that it is readily adaptable toautomobileradiators wherein the level of the cooling liquid is most ofthe time turbulent andflu'ctuating, not only because of travel overrough roadways, but also because of the action of the circulating pump.It. 1s a material advantage to have some external means i of reliablyindicatingthe level of the liquid within the radiator, not only toprovide such information to the vehicle operator at all i times, butalso to obviate the unnecessary re moval ofthe radiator 'capby theoperator or servic e station attendant and thus prevent the possibilityof damage to the radiator: cap

or radiatorshell by careless persons; and the dangerioflosing theradiator cap should it be loosely or carelessly replaced;

The main purpose of the indicator is to provide a low waterwarnmg, soarranged that: only a glance is necessary'to inform a person as towhether or not the radiator is in need of a 'furthersupply of liquid. Ifdesired, the head 14 may be graduated or col.-' ored. in-any suitablefashion, so that when the vehicle is-in mot-ion, the mean level will beindicated to the driver, and when'the vehicle is stopped, as at aservice station, the

actual level will. be indicated to .b'oth'the driverand the stationattendant, but Iprefer merely to havethe red and green colored sections,indicating danger and safety. j

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been hereinshown and described, it will: be understood that certain details of theconstruction shown may be P alteredor omitted withoutdeparting from rthe spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims."

I claim:

' 1. The combination of rod relative to the vertical movement of theliquid surfacewithin the radiator, and means A at the top of said cap tovisually indicate the relative vertical position of said rod.

3 i 2; A: radiator liquid level indicator comprising a radiator cap, atubular shell 'positioned to extend below saidcap and into the aradiator cap and a float actuated liquid level indicator, comprising avertically movable indicator rod radiator, a vertically movableindicator plunger arranged within said shell, means on said plunger tolimit its upward and downward movement, afloat on said plunger ar rangedto. be vertically slidable relative thereto, resilient means normallyurging said float toward the lower end of said plunger, a closure at thelower end of said shell, said shell having an aperture adjacent itslower end to admit liquid from the radiator, and means associatedwithsaid cap and actuated by said plunger to visually indicate the relativeposition of said plunger.

3. A liquid level indicator comprising a tubular shell adapted to extendinto a liquid container, a vertically movable plunger arranged withinsaid shell, a stop on said plunger intermediate its ends, another stopon the low-er end of said plunger, a float slidably mounted on saidplunger between said stops, a spring constantly urging said float towardthe lower stop, and means on said shell engaging said stops respectivelyto limit the upward and downward movement of said plunger.

4. A liquid levelindicator comprising a tubular shell adapted to extendinto a liquid container, a vertically movable plunger arranged withinsaid shell, a stop on said plunger intermediate its ends, another stopon the lower end of said plunger, a float slidably mounted on saidplunger between said stops, a spring disposed between said intermediatestop and said float to normally urge said float toward the lower stop,and means on said shell engaging said stops respectively to limit theupward and downward move ment of said plunger.

5. A liquid level indicator comprising a tubular shell adapted to extendinto a liquid container, a'vertically movable plunger arranged withinsaid shell, a stop on said plunger intermediate its ends, anotherstop onthe lower end of said plunger, a float slidably mounted on said plungerbetween said stops, a spring constantly urging said float toward thelower stop, a closure on the lower end of said shell, and means on saidshell to gaging the lower stop to limit the downward movement of saidrod, said tube having an opening at its lower end to permit the ingressof liquid;

7. In a liquid level indicator comprising a float actuated verticallymovable indicating plunger arranged in a tubular shell adapted to extendinto a liquid container and project upwardly therefrom, a shoulder insaid shell positioned intermediate its ends, a fixed stop on saidplunger arranged to engage said shoulder and limit the upward movementof said plunger, a relatively 'slidable floatmounted on said plungerbelow said fixed stop, another stop adjacent the lower end of saidplunger to retain said float thereon'and limit the downward movement ofvsaid plunger, a cap at the lower end of said shell to engage said otherstop, and means normally urging said float toward the lower stop,

said shell having a perforation at its lower end to admit liquidthereinto.

8. A liquid level indicator, comprising a vertically movable actuatingrod extending into a liquid container, a float slidably mounted on saidrod adjacent its lower end, means to guide the vertical movement of saidrod, resilient means acting between said float and rod'and normallyurging said float toward the lower end of said rod, and means to limitthe upward and downward movement of said rod.

Signed at Pittsburgh in. the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania this 17th day of Dec.'1931.

JOHN C; LEUKHARDT, JR.

limit the upward movement of said plunger,

said shell having an aperture adjacent its lower end to admit liquidthereinto.

6. A liquid level indicator comprising a vertically positioned tubehaving a side openplunger arranged within said tube, a verticallymovable plunger rod extending downwardly from said indicator plunger, afixed stop at the lower end of said rod, a fixed intermediate stoparranged between said indicator plunger and the lower end of said rod, afloat slidably mounted on said rod between said fixed stops, meansnormally urging said float toward the lower stop, means engaging saidintermediate stop to limit the upward movement of said plunger rod, andmeans ening adjacent its upper end, an indicator

